Traffic guide



T. F. KOLTS TRAFFIC GUIDE 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1939 59 T. F. KOLTS TRAFFIC GUIDE Oct. 28, 1941.

Fil d F b 6. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES 'PTENT OFFICE I MAUI I 'raamconml I TennieslhKoltamm-mssignertoWarm my Amman February 0, 1m. saw He. sums Claims. "-1.9

This invention relates to trafllc guides and the method of producing the same, and more particularly to stripes and kindred markers which are placed on pavement surfaces or on bridge and culvert abutments and structures and the like along streets and roadways to indicate the division lines between traffic lanes and the presence of structures obstructing traffic and the like.

It has been recognized that trafllc control stripes must or should be of a color which contrasts with the color of the pavement surface on which they appear, and to attain this it has been customary to apply such stripes by the use of various types of paint, of colors such as red, orange, white or black as conditions or preference has dictated. While stripes so produced have been widely used for many years they have not been entirely satisfactory and many practical difllculties have been encountered due, for example, to the slow drying characteristics of the paints that have been used which has required that painted stripes be protected for a considerable period after application thereof to pavement surfaces. When such protection fails, cross trafllc tends to pick and spread the paint and this results in an indistinct and improper stripe. In addition, the paint coating, even when properly dried, is reduced in thickness and often wore away by the carrying away of the paint on vehicle wheels and thereby the expected use for life of the stripes has been materially reduced. Furthermore, the surface texture of painted stripes is such that there is a marked tendency not only to accumulate dirt, dust and other foreign matter but also to retain such matter permanently, thereby causing the desired characteristic of distinctness to be lost quite rapidly.

Other attempts to produce satisfactory trafllc stripes have involved the use of tar or asphalt but such attempts have not produced satisfactory results due to wide variation in the hardness of the material which caused cracking in the winter, and another characteristic of such stripes has been undesirable spreading and material loss thereof by reason of the softening of such stripes in warm weather. In view of the foregoing, an important object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing and kindred diiflculties novel and improved trafllc stripe and a method of applying the same, and an object ancillary to the foregoing is to provide a novel traffic stripe that will be self-protecting 'after the application thereof to pavement surfaces and which will be maintain maximum color contrast throughout its entire useful life.

It has been customary heretofore to mark bridge and culvert abutments and other structures in and along roadways so as to indicate the presence thereof, and this has been done by painting stripes of contrasting colors thereon and also by fastening to such structures devices containing light reflective means. However, where paint was relied upon, this has tended to become obliterated by reason of the weathering thereof and where light reflective devices fastened to such structures have been used these devices have sometimes been removed either accidentally or otherwise and sometimes they have been damaged so as to be rendered wholly useless for the purpose intended.

Thus in view of the foregoing, still another important object of this invention is to afford a permanent marking on bridge and culvert abutments and supports and other structures in and along streets and roadways to indicate the presence thereof, and an object related to the foregoing is to afford a permanent light reflective arrangement on such structures so that when the An object related to the foregoing is to enable 7 light reflective surfaces to be produced either on 7 structures in and along roadways which are danand to provide a v gerous to traiilc and also to enable su'ch surfaces to be employed as trailic stripesto afford divisions between trafilc lanes and the like.

Still more specific objects of the invention are to produce traillc guiding stripes and the like and indicating means on structures in and along streets and roadways by applying a continuous coating of metal: to incorporate light reflective particles in such'metallic surfaces; and to apply metal and light reflective particles tosuch surfaces in a novel manner.

Other and further objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a street or highway pavement of brick to which a traffic stripe produced'in accordance with the present invention is being applied, and also showing one manner in which such a stripe may be applied to such a pavement;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on cleaned and polished by vehicle trafllc so as to theline 2-2 on m, 1;

. lll

1"lg.3isaplanviewofaconcretepavement -applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially the line 4-4 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, similar to 11s.}, .showing the application of a traiiic stripe to an asphalt or bituminous pavement: and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating one form of apparatus that may be employed for applying tramc stripes to pavements or the In accordance with the present invention the desired stripe is formed from metal applied to the pavement surface, the metal being chosen with regard to color contrast with the pavement surface, and being applied while in a moltenstate so as to become thoroughly bonded with the pavement surface. In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings there is illustrated a section of brick pave ment III which, between the individual bricks II, has vertical spaced interstices I! which, in normal practice, arefilledwith a cement mixture ll such as grout. a flne sand, or an asphalt or bi-- tuminous filler which is heated and poured therein after placement of the layer of brick ll.

While the present invention contemplates other modes and apparatus for applying the molten metal to the pavement surface. there is shown in Fig. l aspray mechanism It whereby a thin jet of molten metal is sprayed as at It toward the pavement surface so as to be deposited thereon in havingatrafiicstripeofthepresentinvention r or amount of crowning may be little danger that motoristswill drive across it or otherwise disturb its desired even form. and

sincethemetalcoohandhardens quickly,itis necessarytoprotectbutaveryshortlengthof the applied stripe II. The molten metal, of course;tendstoassumeanevenlycrowned surfacessshowninmgzalthoughthe In Figs-3 and 4the invention is illustrated as applied to a concrete pavement 28, and in this instance the metallic stripe I I forms a continuous bond as indicated at 28 in Fig. 4, where the molten metal penetrates the interstices and minute recesses which are inherent in the pavement surface. v

In Fig. ii there is illustrated the application of the present invention to form a metallic traflic stripe ll" on-the surface of a bituminous pavement of macadam asphaltic concrete or sheet asphalt. When the molten spray of metal is applied to such alpavement there is a melting of theasphalt so that the stripe II" is, in effect. set in a recess Si in the pavement surface, and the asphalt may 'in some instances flow over the a thin continuous ribbon-like-form to produce a traffic stripe ILembodying the invention. The

bricks usually wears down in form grooves of varying depths in the surface of the pavement, as indicated in Fig. 2, and that where this filler is formed from a cement mixture there wlll be a large number of recesses or interstices (not (speciflcally shown) formed in the filler it due to bubbles-or wear; and that even in the top surfaces of the bricks ll, similar small openings, in-

terstices or cracks are invariably found. :The present invention makes use of these inherent imperfections in the pavement surface. since the molten metal enters these interstices and forms a thorough and eillcient bond with the pavement surface. This bonding action is facilitated when -the molten metal is sprayed under pressure onto the pavement surface. Such a pressure application of the metal may be attained with a spraying apparatus such asithat illustrated in ,Fig. 1, which. is-constructed as shown in the Bleakley Patent No. 2,092,150, issued September '7, 1937. v

When the filler I3 is of a bituminous character the heat of the applied metal cause the-metal to penetrate the filler and form transverse bottom fins (not shown) v extending into the transverse spaces between the bricks, as well as longitudinal fins}! (Fig. 2); and these fins interlock with the inherent interstices in the brick as well as with thebitnminousflller-material due to uneven melting of that material, .Slmilar fins-are edges of the metallic stripe, II", as indicated at 32. While the lower face of the stripe l'l" has been shown, in Fig. 5, as being flat or even. there are, in practice, numerous irregularities formed therein due to the pressure of aggregate in the pavement, or due to uneven melting of the asphalt, so that a varied and securely interlocked bond is formed between the metal stripe i1" and the pavement 30.

. The present invention is not limited to any particular type of metal but it has been found that stripes of aluminum or copper are particularly suitable. Whether the stripe is of aluminum or copp r or other metal, it will be more or less light reflective which will render a stripe 1y useful since it will be readily visible'at night when the lights of vehicles traveling along the highways will shine thereon to be reflected therefrom. However, in order to impart p sitive light reflective properties to a traifice stripe or the like, small particles of a light reflective material such as mica may be applied along with the molten metal, and this may be expeditiously accomplished by associating with the nozzle from which the molten metal is emitted an arrangement which will enable powdered or pulverized flake material to be intermixed with the molten metal prior to application thereof to the surface on which it is being applied. a f An apparatus which will enable the foregoing to be accomplished is illustrated mm. 6 wherein a spraying apparatus such as that disclosed in the aforesaid Bleakley Patent 2,092,15015 illustrated, this apparatus including a nozzle 40 from which the molten metalis emitted. A discharge nozzle 4| is arranged outwardly of the nozzle 40 so that molten metal emittedfrom the nozzle ll passes through the discharge nozzle ll. This discharge nozzle 4| is secured to the nozzle 40 by a coupling 42, and the coupling 42 and the nozzle I are preferably so sized and shaped that a chamber 43 is defined about the male ll and molten metal .emitted. under pressure from the nozzle 4!! creates a Venturi effect in the chamber 43. Thus by providing an opening 44 in communication with the chamber 43 and through a suitable pipe 45 or the like connecting a source of powdered or pulverized material with the chamber 43, the material will be drawn into the stream of molten metal after it passes from the discharge nozzle 4| to be thoroughly mixed therewith. Preferably, the material employed is mica inasmuch as this will effectively resist temperature of the molten metal and will be light reflective when incorporated in the molten metal and applied to a pavement surface or the like. the small particles of mica in this instance serving as the light reflective means.

While thus far I have described my invention with particular reference to traffic stripes, it will be understood that the surfaces of bridge and culvert abutments and supports and other structures in and along streets and roadways could be coated with a metallic surface, and in this instance the entire surface could be covered or stripes could be applied thereacross much in the same manner as painted stripes are now customarily applied to the surfaces of such structures. Furthermore, it will be understood that when light reflective particles are incorporated in the metal at the time of application thereof to such surfaces a very effective indication of the presence of such structures is afforded, for such light reflective means will be operative not only in daylight but also at night when the lights of vehicles strike against the light reflective particles.

Traffic stripes and coatings on surfaces of structures in and along streets and roadways applied in accordance with the present invention have longer useful life than has heretofore been obtainable which, in part, is due to the greater resistance afforded by the metal to deleterious effects of weather and the like. Moreover, in

those instances where the stripe is applied to a pavement, the passage of wheels of vehicles or the like will tend to have a polishing effect which will maintain the stripe bright and therefore visible at all times. Moreover, stripes and surface coatings applied in accordance with this invention do not accumulate and retain dust, grit and other objectionable matter which further increases the usefulness thereof.

While I have illustrated and described selected embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of producing a traffic guide marker comprising projecting onto the surface to be marked a spray of molten metal intimately mixed with small particles of a light reflective material consisting of mica having a higher melting point than that of the molten spray.

2. The method of producing a traffic guide marker comprising forming a spray of molten metal having a melting point lower than that of mica, commingling with said spray small particles of mica and projecting the spray mixture upon the surface to be marked while the metal is still molten to effect intimate bonding of the metal with the irregularities of said surface.

3. A traflic stripe for pavements comprising a mixture formed of small particles of mica mixed with a metal spray in a molten state and bonded to the pavement by flowage of the metal into the surface irregularities of the pavement while still molten, said metal having a melting point lower than that of mica.

TENNIES F. KOLTS. 

